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Comics A.M. | Emerald City, and the future of 'geek culture'

Conventions | Rob Salkowitz, who wrote a book about Comic-Con International, looks forward to this weekend's sold-out Emerald City Comicon, and explains why it represents the convention of the future: "One reason ECCC is such an ideal place to talk about the future of comics is because the show itself looks like the future of comics--at least the one that I call 'The Expanding Multiverse.' Supportive of creators and celebrities alike, embracing the broadest conception of styles and subjects from indie work to mainstream superheroes, self-consciously diverse and inclusive in its conception of fandom, ECCC and shows like it represent a sustainable path forward for geek culture in an age of super-saturation and sensory overload." Salkowitz will be a participant, not just a fan: He has developed a programming track on comics and digital culture that will feature a number of people (IDW's Ted Adams, Monkeybrain's Alison Baker) giving short presentations, similar to the format and spirit of TED Talks. [ICv2]

Creators | Like a lot of creators, Kazuto Tatsuta had to take a day job to help pay the bills, so he started working as part of the cleanup and repair crew at the damaged Fukushima nuclear reactor. That turned into material for his most successful manga yet, 1F, which chronicles the day-to-day life of the Fukushima workers. The Tokyo Electric Power Co. seldom allows outsiders uncontrolled access to the plant, so Tatsuta's account is unique, and the manga has been serialized in Kodansha's Morning magazine and won a newcomer award; it will also be collected into a graphic novel and turned into an ongoing series. [ABC News]

Creators | Bill Watterson and Richard Thompson react with delight to the exhibit of their work that just opened at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at Ohio State University. [Comic Riffs]

Creators | The Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard recently made an appearance in his hometown of Shropshire, England, and gave a short interview to the local paper. While he's amazed at the success of the series, Adlard says he's happy to be living and working in Shropshire: "It’s nice to be living here in Shropshire away from the mania in LA. I don’t feel like I’m part of this huge phenomenon." [Shropshire Star]

Creators | The Malaysian cartoonist who goes by the pen name Lat celebrates 50 years of drawing comics and 40 years of being a newspaper cartoonist. He reveals that he would have liked to retire in 1997 but couldn't, as the demand for his cartoons was too high. [New Straits Times]

Creators | The local paper profiles Pickering, Ontario, creator D.A. Bishop, who works as a graphic artist by day and draws comics at night; his work is available online and on comiXology. [Our Windsor]

Awards | The winners of the 18th Osamu Tezuka Cultural Prizes were announced today in Japan; March Comes in Like a Lion, by Chica Umino (also the creator of Honey and Clover) took the grand prize, and the New Birth Prize went to Mitsuami no Kami-sama, the story of a young girl's experiences after the March 11 earthquake. [Anime News Network]

Education | Schoolchildren in and around Elyria, Ohio, got a free comic Monday and the chance to draw their own as well. The Elyria Comic Book Initiative teamed up with the local Rotary to fund the printing and distribution of the comic, Captain Comic Book. The brainchild of ECBI President Ken Glanc, it was written by Mark Sumerak and illustrated by G-Man artist Chris Giarrusso. Image Comics even helped out with printing. The idea is to promote literacy, and the comic ends with a section on how to make your own comics. [The Morning Journal]

Exhibits | James Bacon pays a visit to "Brainstorm: The Art of Bryan Talbot," at The Muse at 269 in London. [Forbidden Planet]